CLEVELAND, Ohio (CNN) - In what may be another signal that the troubled economy is forcing John McCain’s campaign to play electoral map defense, Sarah Palin has scheduled a bus tour for Sunday through West Virginia, a state that’s been leaning red throughout this presidential race.

Palin had already scheduled a bus tour of Pennsylvania on Saturday, but she will now repeat that act on Sunday by making various unannounced stops throughout West Virginia, culminating in a campaign event in southeast Ohio. It’s a swing geographically reminiscent of Hillary Clinton’s effort during the Democratic primary to court white working class voters in Appalachia. Clinton won the West Virginia primary over Barack Obama by a whopping 67-26 margin.

Surveys of West Virginia voters this year have consistently favored McCain, but state polls have closed in recent weeks as the global financial crisis has dominated the headlines. A CNN/Time poll conducted in late September showed McCain with a slight 50-46 lead over Obama, and an ARG poll released this week suggested Obama had rocketed to an eight-point over his Republican rival.

Last week, Palin made a pair of last-minute campaign stops in Omaha, Nebraska and Greenville, North Carolina – two regions that until recently were considered safe for McCain.

Palin on Friday seemed to acknowledge that time is running out for her campaign to shift the momentum of the race.

“Things are getting kind of, not tense, but things are getting - as things come down to the wire obviously, things are getting more important in terms of message, and in terms of opportunity we have to lay out the contrast between the two tickets,” she told donors in Cincinnati.

soundoff(119 Responses)

Boston Bean

Can't wait to read the TROOPERGATE report on ms Palin. A well respected republican female said yesterday Sarah Palin was being treated like a clerk by the McCain campaign run by the same people who were fired by REAGAN for the same tactics they are using now.

October 10, 2008 03:20 pm at 3:20 pm |

Kentucky

Palin is destroying herself with moderate Democrats and Independents. In the years to come, she will be remembered as a fearmonger and a hatemonger. She should read the words of Dwight Eisenhower, in the speach he failed to deliver that defended George Marshall from McCarthy in Wisconsin in 1952, "the right to question someone's judgement does not carry with it the right to question their character." I do not know what will happen to this Great Nation if one of Palin's hatemongers attempts to harm Obama.

October 10, 2008 03:20 pm at 3:20 pm |

BT

Gee, Palin's kind of people, huh? "You Bethca!" wink wink

October 10, 2008 03:20 pm at 3:20 pm |

jim

Truly a pig in libstick

October 10, 2008 03:20 pm at 3:20 pm |

A CANUCK

JUST HER SPEED....HAVE A LITTLE LIKKER WITH THE HILLBILLIES!!

October 10, 2008 03:20 pm at 3:20 pm |

sky

I do not want my children to think Palin and McCain represent how a person should behave. They are not an example of honor and honesty. When my children play soccer or T-ball or hockey.....they learn how to win with honor and how to lose with grace. These people have lost sight of that and are not an example for ANY ONES children.

October 10, 2008 03:20 pm at 3:20 pm |

pray2008pray

Lord please open up the eyes of the Leaders of this country. Lord please keep all of the politicians safe from any hurt or harm. Lord please let the best man win this election. Lord Please keep America safe. All americans.... no matter if they are racist, black, white, conservative, or liberal, we are all your children.

Obama/Bide '08

October 10, 2008 03:21 pm at 3:21 pm |

MARY,FLORIDA

Sarah's 15 minutes are almost up.Now she can go back to the Republic of Alaska,or what ever she thinks it is.

October 10, 2008 03:21 pm at 3:21 pm |

rhoward

Other than inciting fear and hatred what else do they have?

October 10, 2008 03:21 pm at 3:21 pm |

McCain and Palin should be Arrested

McCain and Palin should be Arrested for INCITING RIOTS...... I believe that pushing their type of politics, lies and hatred fall under HATE CRIMES!!! I think they should focus on the issues we are facing jobs, the economy, allocating the rescue plan.

Things are getting kind of, not tense, but things are getting — as things come down to the wire obviously, things are getting more important in terms of message, and in terms of opportunity we have to lay out the contrast between the two tickets,” she told donors in Cincinnati.

First speak in a complete sentence, then lay out the contrast as related to the issues. Or is your party platfrom now just LIES

October 10, 2008 03:21 pm at 3:21 pm |

N.S of Huntsville, Al

Sarah- “Things are getting kind of, not tense, but things are getting — as things come down to the wire obviously, things are getting more important in terms of message, and in terms of opportunity we have to lay out the contrast between the two tickets,” she told donors in Cincinnati.

WHAT? things are getting trashy, were loosing and McCain is pimping me to go out and hustle up some votes. So by golly here I go.

October 10, 2008 03:22 pm at 3:22 pm |

Larry

The "Hate Talk Express" needs to break down on the way there

October 10, 2008 03:22 pm at 3:22 pm |

obama supporter

Unfortunately Sarah, you'll be able to do little good in West Virginia. Not that you'd know how to do good if you tried, but the state (like many others already) are firmly in the Obama column. It's over losers... get used to it.

October 10, 2008 03:22 pm at 3:22 pm |

abraxis

It is so unfortunate that the fear mongers of the republican party led by dumb and dumber are inciting racial hatred and irrationality to push our country back into the 1950s.

The fear of having a Black man be the top executive officer of this country are scaring the hell out of the bigoted, flat earth, red-eyed monsters. If you want to see them, go to, or watch the McDufus and Knuckle-head campaign trail stops.

It is surreal to think that in the 21st century, that politicians such as McDufus and Knuckle-head can play the political game of facism just to win an election.

They are beyond SHAME. How can anyone cast their franchise for these people is also beyond me?!

October 10, 2008 03:23 pm at 3:23 pm |

A Canadian who cares about my neighbour

Read the foreign press....McCain/Palin/their voters are putting such a black mark again on America much like Katrina did.

Voters need to think about whether this angry man and his dishonest running mate will have any credibility or respect from either your allies or enemies in the very sad event they should be nominated.

Also in a recent poll of banking practices worldwide America came 40th....please look to the furture and consider THAT ONE"S vision and intelligence!!!

October 10, 2008 03:23 pm at 3:23 pm |

karen raleigh

Why doesnt she take that bus straight to alaska and do us all a favour

October 10, 2008 03:23 pm at 3:23 pm |

Craig in Washington

For those who have conveniently forgotten, the Oklahoma City federal building was blown up by far right-wing terrorists, not left-wingers or Islamists. The same kind of people who are shouting those inflammatory statements at the McCain/Palin rallies.

John McCain is right, we should be afraid. But he's the one we should be afraid of.

October 10, 2008 03:23 pm at 3:23 pm |

CindyN--PA

Dont listen to her West Virginia.
She is dangerous. Dont let her whoop up the hate in your state.

Put "Country First" and vote for Obama.

She is trying to incite a riot. Dont go. Dont attend. America we are better than this.

October 10, 2008 03:23 pm at 3:23 pm |

Chris

am i the only person who thinks the picture is ironic after they've spent months labeling Obama as elitist? I know all the campaigns stay in nice hotels but it's a little ironic to see that bus parked there?

Speaking of ironic – I find it ironic to hear all these country bumpkins (and I can say that because i live there) inciting rage and hate – saying Obama wants to destroy America and the Constitution. Are these the same people who supported Bush and the no separation of church and state, legislation of morality, violation of 1st amendment, 4th branch of gov't VP? Isn't it ironic that these people who rail that Obama will violate the Constitution are the same folks who seceded and tried to quite the Constitution over racial issues.

We've been angry for 8 years so you're just going to have to deal. Obama doesn't hate America – his ideas for how it should be run are different than we've seen in a while – which polls seem to indicate that's a good thing. Take your 25% and go home.